The government refused to accept delivery of new F-35s for a year between 2023 and 2024, which led to jets being stockpiled at Lockheed Martin facilities.
A long pattern of rushed training and failed equipment contributed to the embarrassing and costly error, a recently published command investigation found.
When combined with another F-35 deal from December 2024, the Pentagon will pay Lockheed Martin about $24.3 billion for the 18th and 19th lots of the jets.